Novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device

Abstract

The invention discloses a novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device applied to a vehicle air suspension, and the novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device applied to the vehicle air suspension comprises a guide rail assembly mounted on a lower swing arm; the ball screw assembly is matched with the guide rail assembly and is responsible for transmitting power; the angle adjustment executing mechanism is matched with the ball screw assembly to realize the change of the mounting angle of the air spring; the motor driving system is used for driving the angle adjustment executing mechanism, the motor driving system is connected with the ball screw assembly, and the ball screw assembly is driven to move so as to change the angle adjustment executing mechanism; according to the device, the lower swing arm is used as a fixed base, the overall structure is simplified, active adjustment of the installation angle of the air spring is achieved, the rigidity performance of the suspension is optimized, the running stability and comfort of a vehicle are improved, and the road condition adaptability of a suspension system is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive suspension system technology, specifically to an adjustable air spring mounting angle device integrated into the lower control arm of a vehicle, which is particularly suitable for intelligent suspension systems that require dynamic adjustment of the air spring mounting angle to optimize suspension performance. Background Technology

[0002] In modern vehicle suspension systems, air springs are widely used in high-end passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and special vehicles due to their variable stiffness and height adjustment capabilities. Traditional air springs mostly adopt a fixed installation structure, and their installation angle is determined in the design stage. They cannot be actively adjusted according to changes in driving conditions, which makes it difficult to achieve optimal suspension geometry characteristics under different loads, road conditions, or driving modes, affecting the vehicle's handling stability, ride comfort, and tire contact performance.

[0003] While some existing technologies employ active push rods or hydraulic cylinders to adjust suspension height to change suspension performance parameters, there is no structural solution that changes suspension performance parameters by continuously and actively adjusting the air spring installation angle. Moreover, most of these solutions are complex, occupy a large space, and are difficult to integrate into a compact chassis environment.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a compact, responsive air spring angle adjustment device that can be integrated into existing suspension systems to achieve real-time optimization of suspension geometry and performance parameters. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide advantages that will be described later.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide a novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device for air suspension in distributed electric drive vehicles. By using the lower control arm as a fixed base, all adjustment mechanisms are integrated on it, eliminating the need for additional supports, significantly simplifying the structure, saving chassis space, and resulting in a compact and rigid overall structure. This greatly improves the integration of distributed electric drive vehicles and is particularly suitable for applications such as distributed electric drive vehicles that require high chassis integration.

[0007] To elaborate further, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: This invention provides a novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device, characterized in that it comprises: Fixed base; A guide rail assembly is disposed above the fixed base; A ball screw assembly disposed in the middle of the guide rail mechanism; An angle adjustment actuator is positioned above the ball screw assembly and guide rail assembly; A motor drive system mounted on a fixed base.

[0008] In some technical solutions, the fixed base is composed of a frame and a lower control arm. One end of the lower control arm is hinged to the frame via a rotating joint, and the other end is connected to the wheel via a spherical joint. The guide rail assembly and the ball screw assembly are directly integrated and installed on the lower control arm, while the motor drive system is arranged on the frame, realizing a separate layout for drive and load-bearing.

[0009] In some technical solutions, the guide rail assembly adopts a double guide rail structure, with two guide rails symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ball screw assembly and fixed to the surface of the lower swing arm. The slider and the guide rail form a linear sliding pair, and the two sliders are respectively connected to the left and right sides of the moving platform to improve the anti-eccentric load capability during the movement process.

[0010] In some technical solutions, the ball screw assembly includes a screw, a nut, a nut bracket, and bearing seats at both ends. The screw is supported in the bearing seats on the lower swing arm by bearings. The nut and the screw form a precision threaded transmission pair. The nut bracket is rigidly connected to the nut for transmitting linear driving force.

[0011] In some technical solutions, the nut in the ball screw assembly adopts a preloaded structure design, which eliminates transmission backlash through internal preloading, thereby improving the system's rigidity and repeatability.

[0012] In some technical solutions, the angle adjustment actuator consists of a moving platform, a connecting rod, and an air spring mounting plate. The moving platform is directly fixed to both the slider and the nut bracket, with no intermediate transition parts between them. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the moving platform, and the other end is connected to the air spring mounting plate. The tail end of the air spring mounting plate is hinged to the lower swing arm via a rotating joint, forming an adjustable angle four-bar linkage.

[0013] In some technical solutions, the connecting rod is arranged on one side or a double connecting rod structure that is symmetrical on both sides, in order to adapt to different spatial constraints and load requirements.

[0014] In some technical solutions, the air spring mounting plate can be angled within a range of 5° to 25° around its hinge point with the lower control arm to meet the suspension performance optimization requirements under various driving conditions.

[0015] In some technical solutions, the motor drive system includes a motor, a reducer, and a bidirectional universal joint. The motor output shaft is connected to the end of the lead screw via the reducer and the bidirectional universal joint. The bidirectional universal joint can effectively compensate for the dynamic offset of the shaft system caused by suspension bounce, ensuring transmission reliability.

[0016] The technical effects provided by the embodiments of the present invention include at least the following: Highly integrated: All adjustment mechanisms are directly mounted on the lower control arm, eliminating the need for additional supports, significantly simplifying the structure and saving chassis space; High-precision adjustment: Guide rail guidance, ball screw transmission, and connecting rod conversion enable low-friction, zero-backlash, and high-precision angle adjustment; Performance optimization: The air spring mounting angle can be actively adjusted, so that parameters such as suspension stiffness can be dynamically matched according to working conditions, improving handling stability and ride comfort; High applicability: It is particularly suitable for distributed electric drive vehicles or intelligent electric vehicles with highly integrated chassis.

[0017] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will become apparent in part from the following description, and in part from those skilled in the art through study and practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall suspension structure in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an angle-adjustable air spring mounting device in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the fixed base in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the guide rail assembly in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a ball screw assembly in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the angle adjustment actuator in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a motor drive system in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of air spring angle adjustment in some embodiments of the present invention. Figure Labels

[0019] 10. Fixed base; 101. Frame; 102. Lower control arm; 20. Guide rail assembly; 201. Linear guide rail; 202. Slider; 30. Ball screw assembly; 301. Screw; 302. Nut; 303. Nut bracket; 304. Bearing housing; 40. Angle adjustment actuator; 401. Moving platform; 402. Connecting rod; 403. Air spring mounting plate; 50. Motor drive system; 501. Motor; 502. Reducer; 503. Bidirectional universal joint. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can implement it based on the description.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "front", "rear", "above", "below", "upper end", "lower end", "both ends", "side-by-side distribution", "symmetrical distribution", etc., indicate the relative positional relationship between the components in a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). They are only used to facilitate the description of this invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “having,” “setting up,” “arranging,” and any variations thereof are intended to cover, but not limited to, a process, method, system, or product consisting of a series of steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or equipment.

[0023] In addition to the above, it should be emphasized that the reference to "embodiment" herein means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0024] Combination Figure 1-7 As shown, this embodiment provides a novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device for dynamically adjusting the mounting angle of the air spring in a vehicle suspension system. Figure 1 As shown, the device mainly includes: Fixed base 10; It should be noted that the fixed base 10 shown in the figure is not a single part, but an integral mounting base structure composed of the frame 101 and the lower control arm 102. One end of the lower control arm 102 is hinged to the frame 101 through a rotating joint, forming the motion fulcrum of the suspension system; the other end is connected to the wheel assembly. In this embodiment, the lower control arm 102 is an aluminum alloy casting, but in other embodiments it can also be made of high-strength steel or composite materials. The material selection needs to be weighed according to the vehicle's lightweight requirements and cost control objectives.

[0025] It should be further noted that the main function of the fixed base 10 is to provide a rigid mounting platform for the guide rail assembly 20 and the ball screw assembly 30. All adjustment mechanisms operate based on this fixed structure. In this embodiment, the frame 101 and the lower swing arm 102 are provided with multiple mounting surfaces for fixing the motor drive system 50, the linear guide rail 201 and the bearing seat 304 respectively.

[0026] It should be noted that the frame 101 has a horizontal mounting surface on top for fixing the motor 501 and the reducer 502, the lower swing arm 102 has multiple horizontal mounting surfaces on top for fixing the linear guide rail 201, and the lower swing arm 102 has multiple vertical mounting surfaces in the middle for fixing the bearing seat 304.

[0027] As can be seen from the above, the fixed base 10 provided in this application embodiment can realize the fixing and connection of the guide rail assembly 20, the ball screw assembly 30, the angle adjustment actuator 40, and the motor drive system 50.

[0028] Guide rail assembly 20; It should be noted that the guide rail assembly 20 shown in the figure includes a linear guide rail 201 and a slider 202; wherein, the linear guide rail 201 is fixed to the horizontal mounting surface of the lower swing arm 102 by a plurality of internal hexagon screws or through screws; It should be further noted that the main function of the linear guide 201 is to provide high-precision, low-friction linear motion guidance for the moving platform 401. The linear guide 201 adopts a ball-type linear guide with a precision grade of C7, but in other embodiments, guides with a precision grade of C5 or higher can also be selected.

[0029] In some embodiments, the guide rail assembly 20 adopts a single guide rail or multiple guide rail structure and is evenly arranged on the lower swing arm 102 to improve motion stability.

[0030] In some embodiments, the slider 202 is connected to the moving platform 401 by four screws, but in other embodiments, there may be two or six screws.

[0031] Ball screw assembly 30; It should be noted that the ball screw assembly 30 shown in the figure includes a screw 301 and a bearing seat 304; wherein, the two ends of the screw 301 are supported on the lower swing arm 20 by the bearing seat 304, and can rotate freely under the drive of the motor; It should be further explained that the main function of the lead screw 301 is to convert the rotational motion of the motor 501 into the linear motion of the nut 302, thereby driving the moving platform 402 to slide along the linear guide rail 201 to achieve precise displacement control.

[0032] It should be noted that the ball screw assembly 30 shown in the figure also includes a nut 302 and a nut bracket 303. The nut 302 meshes with the screw 301, and the nut bracket 303 is fixedly connected to its exterior. In some embodiments, the nut bracket 303 is rigidly connected to the mobile platform 402 by bolts.

[0033] In some embodiments, the lead screw 301 has a lead of 5 mm, but in other embodiments it may be 2 mm or 10 mm.

[0034] Angle adjustment actuator 40; It should be noted that the angle adjustment actuator 40 shown in the figure includes a moving platform 401, which is rigidly connected to the slider 202 and the nut bracket 303 by screws; It should be further noted that the bottom of the mobile platform 401 is fixedly connected to the slider 202 and the nut bracket 303, and the top is provided with a hinge lug for forming a rotating pair connection with the connecting rod 402.

[0035] It should be further explained that the main function of the moving platform 401 is to transmit the linear output displacement of the lead screw 301 to the connecting rod 402, thereby driving the air spring mounting plate 403 to rotate and achieve angle adjustment.

[0036] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 401 and the nut bracket 303 are directly connected by bolts or welding, eliminating the intermediate connection structure and improving transmission efficiency.

[0037] It should be noted that the angle adjustment actuator 40 shown in the figure includes a connecting rod 402, which is hinged to the air spring mounting plate 403 and the moving platform 401 respectively through two rotating joints; It should be further explained that the main function of the connecting rod 402 is to convert the linear motion of the moving platform 401 into the rotational motion of the air spring mounting plate 403, so as to realize the continuous adjustment of the mounting angle.

[0038] In some embodiments, the connecting rod 402 is a multi-link structure, evenly arranged to improve the synchronization and stability during the adjustment process.

[0039] In some implementations, the length of the connecting rod 402 can be automatically determined according to the required adjustment angle range, thereby realizing the angle range control of the angle adjustment actuator.

[0040] It should be noted that the angle adjustment actuator 40 shown in the figure includes an air spring mounting plate 403, the other end of which is hinged to the vehicle frame via a revolute joint; It should be further noted that the air spring mounting plate 403 is used to mount the air spring and has standard mounting holes. One end of the air spring mounting plate 403 is hinged to the lower swing arm 102 via a rotating joint, and the other end is connected to the connecting rod 402, forming a rotatable four-bar linkage adjustment mechanism.

[0041] It should be further explained that the main function of the air spring mounting plate 403 is to rotate around the hinge point between the connecting rod 402 and the lower control arm 102 under the push of the connecting rod 402, thereby changing the mounting angle of the air spring and optimizing the suspension stiffness performance.

[0042] In some embodiments, the air spring mounting plate 403 is rotatable 5° to 25° about its hinge point with the lower swing arm 102, but in other embodiments it can be extended to 20° or 30°.

[0043] Motor drive system 50; It should be noted that the motor drive system 50 shown in the figure includes a motor 501, a reducer 502 and a bidirectional universal joint 503; wherein, the motor 501 is fixed on the lower swing arm 102, and its output shaft is reduced in speed and increased in torque by the reducer 502, and then connected to one end of the lead screw 301 through the bidirectional universal joint 503 to realize power transmission. It should be further explained that the main function of the bidirectional universal joint 503 is to ensure stable power transmission and prevent jamming or damage when there is an installation deviation between the axis of the motor 501 and the axis of the lead screw 301 or when a slight offset occurs during operation.

[0044] In some implementations, the motor 501 is a servo motor or a stepper motor, which has a position feedback function to achieve closed-loop control.

[0045] In some embodiments, the motor drive system 50 further includes a torque sensor for monitoring transmission load and preventing overload damage.

[0046] As can be seen from the above, the novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device provided in this application embodiment can drive the ball screw 30 to move the slider 202 in the guide rail assembly 20 through the motor 50, and then transmit power to the air spring mounting plate 403 through the moving platform 401 and the connecting rod 402 to realize continuous and active adjustment of the air spring mounting angle. The device has a compact structure, fast response and high control precision, and can significantly improve the driving stability, ride comfort and tire contact performance of the vehicle under different working conditions. It is suitable for high-performance passenger cars, commercial vehicles and intelligent driving vehicles.

[0047] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other modifications can be easily made. Therefore, without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein.

Claims

1. A novel angle-adjustable air spring mounting device, characterized in that, include: Fixed base; A guide rail assembly is disposed above the fixed base; A ball screw assembly disposed in the middle of the guide rail mechanism; An angle adjustment actuator is positioned above the ball screw assembly and guide rail assembly; A motor drive system mounted on a fixed base.

2. The fixed base according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed base consists of a frame and a lower control arm. The guide rail assembly and the ball screw assembly are directly mounted on the lower control arm, and the motor drive system is directly mounted on the frame.

3. The guide rail assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide rail assembly includes a guide rail and sliders. The guide rail is a double guide rail structure, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ball screw assembly and fixed on the lower swing arm. There are two sliders, which are respectively set on the lower left and right sides of the moving platform and move in a straight reciprocating motion along the guide rail.

4. The ball screw assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball screw assembly includes a screw, a nut, a nut bracket, and a bearing housing. The two ends of the screw are supported in the bearing housing on the lower swing arm by bearings. The nut is threaded with the screw to convert the rotational motion of the motor into linear motion. The nut bracket is fixedly connected to the nut.

5. The ball screw assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ball screw assembly adopts a preloaded nut structure to eliminate backlash and improve transmission stiffness and repeatability.

6. The angle adjustment actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle adjustment actuator includes a moving platform, a connecting rod, and an air spring mounting plate. The moving platform is fixedly connected to the slider. The nut bracket is located at the lower center of the moving platform, and the two are fixedly connected by bolts or are integrally formed. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the moving platform, and the other end is hinged to the air spring mounting plate. The other end of the air spring mounting plate is hinged to the lower swing arm through a rotating joint.

7. The angle adjustment actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The connecting rod is a single connecting rod, a double connecting rod structure arranged symmetrically on both sides, or other supportable multi-link structure.

8. The angle adjustment actuator according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The adjustable angle range of the air spring mounting plate around its hinge point with the lower control arm is 5°-25°.

9. The motor drive system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor drive system includes a motor, a reducer, and a bidirectional universal joint. The output shaft of the motor is connected to the bidirectional universal joint via the reducer. The bidirectional universal joint is connected to one end of the ball screw assembly to compensate for shaft installation deviations and dynamic offsets caused by suspension movement.

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